In cooperation with Fotomanijak.com, we are able to present reviews of the latest digital cameras on the market. First preview from Fotomanijak labs is preview of the latest Canon’s EOS 7D DSLR.

Thanks to PCfoto.biz we have Canon’s latest, Canon EOS 7D digital camera on our test table. First impression, just WOW. Finally camera that fit so perfectly in hands – with every control that you can think of right where you expect it to be.

From the moment when Canon has released EOS 50D, we are using it our everyday work, when they had announced 7D, we didn’t thought that we need and upgrade. But after testing new 7D, o god how I was wrong.

After working with 7D, coming back to 50D is hard, you have a feeling that something is missing, button here, focus point groups… Viewfinder, after you had worked with 7D looking in 50D viewfinder is like a looking in the keyhole.

Here are some sample photos from 50D and 7D, made under identical controlled conditons with ISO 12800, photos are made directly in JPEG, with noise reduction off.

Packing up more megapiksels on optisal sensor, had a price, basicly noise increasing, to controle that additiona noise, 7D obvously has much more agressive noise reduction, even when the ISO noise reduction is OFF.

This is a short preview of EOS 7D, and comparison to the EOS 50D, stay tuned for the full review.

Are you a person who always needs a free internet or Wi-Fi connection to support your activity? Your laptop or notebook able to find whether there’s wi-fi signal or not. But, don’t you ever think that opening your notebook, starting it, and activating wi-fi device are not effective nor efficient, because you didn’t know whether there’s a wi-fi signal or not?

Today, you can easily check the strength of wi-fi signal around you by exploiting this gadget. You can also find the area with strongest wi-fi signal. When you push the button, this wrist watch tells you the signal strength as a number from 0 to 8. This gadget tells you what kind of connectivity available in the area, and letting you to know where the nearest area to the access point.

This Wi-Fi Detecting Watch is well styled with steel case and rubber strap band. And it has some additional features, such as daily and single alarm, nice backlight, countdown timer, world time zone, full featured calendar, and lithium battery included.

This is a cool gadget with small price to pay ($24.99 – $29.99). Unfortunately it has no built-in calculator as well. And it not tells you if the signal / connection has a protection or not.

iPhone features:

1. Phone
2. iPod
3. Internet
4. High Technology

Phone

iPhone is not a revolutionary product according to it’s mobile phone feautures. It’s functions are standard for todays modern phone generations. You can make a call by simply tapping a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically synchronize all your contacts from a MAC, PC, or online Internet service. The interesting thing is that you can select and listen voicemail messages in random order, whatever you like, almost same as email.

Widescreen iPod

We can say that iPhone is a widescreen iPod with touch screen controls. It lets you enjoy your favorite music, videos, audiobooks, movies and TV shows. All that is displayed on a beautiful 3.5inch widescreen TFT display. Also it lets you synchronize content from the iTunes data base on your Mac or PC. And then you can browse and use it all with just a finger touch on 3.5inch widescreen display. That means that iPhone has all the features of iPod, but with much better navigation and user friendly menus.

Internet features

Apple’s baby is armed with Safari web browser, specially optimized for iPhone and rich HTML email client. This version of Safari is adjusted for portable device and it’s a very advanced web browser. Browser automatically synchronize bookmarks from your Mac or PC. It also has built in Yahoo! and Google search. iPhone is fully multi tasking device, that means that you can read a web page while downloading files from internet or read your email in the background.

High Technology and everything else

One of the things that make iPhone so special is most beautiful design that one mobile phone ever had. So simple, so elegant and so practical. Quality and beauty are two words that are perfect to describe iPhone’s design. Also it’s very user friendly and easy to use. Anyone who take this phone for the first time in his hands will use it without any problems and thats the point of its revolutionary user interface.

iPhone has completely new user interface based on a beautiful multi touch screen and great new software solutions that lets you control every single function of device using only your fingers. iPhone’s copmplete soft QWERTY keyboard lets you to send and receive SMS and MMS messages as different tasks very easy. Full soft QWERTY keyboard is very comfortable to work with and its very predictive, intelligent software prevents and corrects typing mistakes, making it easy and efficient to use even for beginners.

Summary and conclusion

To be real iPhone has a few issues, but thats nothing in comparing with good things it brings. I must confess that this shine gadget from Apple has left great impression on me. It is a great phone in every possible mean.

I purposely left the technical details for the and of this quick review and here are only the most important ones.

Technical specifications

• 4GB or 8GB flash drive
• 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display
• 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 160 dpi
• Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
• EDGE
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• 2.0 megapixels camera
• Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
• Talk time: Up to 8 hours

If you are interesting in more detailed specifications visit iPhone’s official specifications page.

• 8Mpix Optical sensor, sensitivity up to ISO800
• New 4x zoom lens, 35-140mm 35mm equiv. F2.8 -4.1
• Large vari-angle LCD 2.5” diagonal, with 160 degrees viewing angle
• Digic II image processor, just when I was writing this review, Canon released new DIGIC III
• 9-point AiAF and FlexiZone AF/AE – enhanced selectable 9 point focus
• 21 scene mods, My colors additional color adjustment
• Great Macro mod, can focus on subjects only 1cm – 0.4” from lens
• High-Speed ISO – HI ISO option allowing to take a picture of fast subjects in low light conditions

Video recording in full VGA resolution in 30fps with sound of course, and duration limited only by free space

Implemented huge LCD display is simply great, readable from any angle, vari-angle so it can be in any angle. Anti reflex layer on it and automatic back-light control allows it to be readable in any light conditions, total dark or on sunny day, picture will be just perfect. Built in 4x zoom lens, from not so wide 35mm up to telephoto 140mm ( 35mm equiv. ), with maximal F2.8 on wide up to maximal F4.1 in telephoto scale. Also camera have two kinds of digital zoom Safety Zoom and Digital TeleConverter. Safety zoom allows additional zoom with no quality reduction – it crops photograph, because camera has 8Mpix on 4Mpix you can additional zoom 4x example. Which is not so useless, cause on such photo you got only important details already cropped so it demands less space on memory card. But these options are buried in the menus, they are not so easy to use, differs from some Sony’s cameras.

Orientation sensor is built in in camera, so there are no more editing pictures just to set is it landscape or portrait, camera done it by it self. Also sensor is active in preview mode, so while you review taken photos on camera it will rotate picture on display to fit camera position – quite interesting feature.
9-point AiAF and FlexiZone AF/AE supported with strong AF lamp on camera front always brings your subject in focus, when it’s not in the center of the frame too, even in low light conditions. Additional FlextiZone AF/AE allowing to select point of focus manually, not often seen on this class cameras.
Camera can record movie clips in full VGA resolution with sound and 30fps. There are no limitation in duration of the clip captured, except free space limitation. As A630 have built in support for SDHC SD cards ( High Capacity cards from 4,8GB ) with some SDHC card inserted, Canon A630 will become real compact video camera.
A630 is still using as predecessor four AA batteries so time between flash charging is fast, much faster then on A5xx series cameras, also flash is a bit stronger then on previous series.

100% crop of same scene taken on different ISO settings, as you can notice on dark parts of the image there is great amount of color noise. Noise is significant on ISO400, and on ISO800 picture is almost totally useless. But if we can chose from get such high noise picture, or no picture, you get the point. It’s almost certain that DIGIC II image processor is simple to old and can not deal with new small but packed with Mpix sensors. As I was writing this Canon released new camera G7 with new DIGIC III. One of the new features built in in A630 is new HI ISO settings, if its set camera will increase ISO to shorten exposure time, allowing to shoot without blur fast moving subjects in low light conditions. A630 as it’s predecessor have fantastic macro mode, it can focus to subjects which are just 1cm from camera lens – just watch out not to hit camera lens into subject
Camera have fast USB 2.0 interface for transferring photos, which is hidden under cap on the side of the camera, so transferring great amounts of data is performed quite fast. Each 8Mpix photos is up to 3-5 MB, with camera Canon ships only 16MB MMC card, which will be enough for few test pictures, buying additional memory card is compulsory. Also next to USB connector there is an interface for external power and connector for TV. All necessary cables are supplied with camera, but you will need to buy external power adapter.
Camera have 21 built in scene mods, for portraits, landscapes, tacking pictures on snow, on beach, indoor photos, fireworks and much others. So basic usage is simple just select your scene type and press shutter to take pictures. Canon as up to now guaranties great results. If you want more control of your photos, there are complete manual mod, and several semiautomatics, when you just set one parameter and camera will set all other parameters for great results.
As some kind of conclusion, we can say that we got refreshed model, with few noticed bugs fixed from predecessor, which now have great large LCD, support for High Capacity SD cards, respectable canon lens and 8Mpix image sensor.
Ability to record video in full VGA resolution with 30fps with no time limitation definitely raise practical usage value of this camera to whole new level. As one of the lacks we can mention, camera case, in my opinion, it is not so solid as previous models, but it’s sacrifice for price reduction.
Parallel with this camera Canon present A640 basically the same camera using only different image sensor with 10Mpix. Price difference for now is about $100. You have to decide is that 2Mpix more worth $100 more.
Sample photos:

The Inka Pen is made from high-strength aerospace-grade materials: carbon fiber and 304 stainless components. This materials make this pen so lightweight, strong and corrosion resistant. The barrel is hardened, CNC machined and centerless ground. Inka logo is laser engraved. You can have your logo on Inka Pen, witch is perfect for gifts, and special events.

We run over Inka Pen by a car

This stailness stell pen is key-chain, full-size pen and PDA stylus at the same time. When Inka Pen is closed you can attach it to your keys, then you can easily transform it to full-sized pen or PDA Stylus like on this picture. The PDA Stylus is made with Delrin, the material witch is specified for stylus tip by major PDA manufacturers.

You don’t need any other pen anymore, because Inka Pen is pen for lifetime. We tested Inka Pen in extreme conditions, and our testing didn’t left any scratch. First we run over this pen by a car once, and there was no damage. Then we try this few times more, and gave up because Inka Pen doesn’t show any signs of giving up. Then we put Inka Pen in freezer for one hour. It was frosty but still working. At the end we put it in the glass of water, for twenty minutes and then try to write with it. Inka Pen has overshot our expectation, it survive and working well after all our test.

Abou Inka Corporation:
Inka Corporation was founded by engineer-entrepreneur Greg Adelman. His more than 13 years of experience as an engineer include designing and developing optical research instrumentation for Scripps Institution of Oceanography and manufacturing de-mining equipment for the U.S. military and NATO. Adelman has always been relied upon to provide innovative solutions and develop instrumentation that will perform reliably in the harshest environments. He now focuses his passion for design and attention to detail to this unique product category of all-weather writing instruments.

Visit Inka Corporation web site for more info.

Content

LCD Screen
Response Time
Video features
Charging
Features
Pros / Cons
Sample image

PreviewGadgets tested Samsung Digimax L55W. This is compact 5 Mpx camera, from Samsing L series. The L55W is superior then model L50W, it has a 28 – 135 mm lens(4.8x zoom) and L50W has 3x zoom.

LCD Screen

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Samsung Digimax L55W has very big LCD screen (2.8″) and allowing 16:9 and 4:3 view. The LCD display uses TMR(Transmissive with Micro Reflective) technology for balanced light. It’s 28 mm angle lens affords a far wider vision field that any regular camera, so consumers can capture sweeping landscapes or a group of subjects into one frame. When i shot pictures outside it was a sunny day and i can see the screen very clearly, so i can say that screen has balanced light even in bright outdoor environments. The LCD screen viewing angle is 160 degrees. Screen has high contrast ratio and reproducing 16.7 million true colors, so it offers bright display image.

Response Time

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The Digimax L55W has very fast response time, that means consumers have more chance to catch spontaneous moments. When you press on button, camera is already prepared for action. Samsung reduced shot-to-shot time to one second on this camera and continuous shooting is 2.5 frames per second, so I could say that this camera is the fastest camera I ever seen.

Video features

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This camera offering powerfully video capability in MPEG-4 high compression and high quality video mode. Consumers can recording 3-4 time longer video movies with the Digimax L55W than in other digital cameras. For example, with 256MB memory, you can record 1 hour movie of high quality. The Digimax L55W recording video in VGA(640X480) at 30 fps. I was recording videos with this camera, and i can say it provides clearer video quality with wider screen view. With this camera buyers got cable for watching videos, and images on TV. Camera has movie stabilization, witch helps users to maintain steady recording. It also features automatic detection and correction of vertical and lateral camera movements. Users can pause and continue to recording as desired, and Samsung Digimax L55W will collate multiple files they selected. And this is not the end of Samsung’s video capabilities, camera also allows to select and save part of video file, and to capture a still image while watching video playback.

Charging

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The Digimax L55W battery charging is very fast. Camera comes with 24 pins portable charger, and cradle for easier charging and data-transfer is optional. I tested version without cradle, and charging was uncomfortably because, charging input is below the camera, so i need to turn sidewise the camera and it that position camera was unstable, and i need to be carefull. There is optional extra charger witch uses USB on PC for charging, it is for people who travels a lot with their notebooks.

Features

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I realy liked Samsung L55W special effects functions like: Color Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame and Composite shot.

• Color Effects include B/W, Sepia, Blue, Red, Green.
• Highlight enables users to emphasis a subject by putting it’s surroundings into soft focus.
• Composite shot allows users to divide a shooting scene into 2-4 segments and save them into a single file.
• Photo Frame support 9 different types of photo frame.

Special Effects examples

Somposite shot

Fun Frame

Macro function is improved and you can capture subject close at 2cm. In Auto macro mede the camera will automaticlu detect the distance from subject, and soptimize the settings instantly.

The Digimax L55W has various scene modes like: night, portrait, children, landscape, text, close up, dawn, sunset, back light, fireworks and Beach & Snow. This scene modes will be perfect for beginers who don’t need to regulate the settings for better images, they just need to chose the scene mode, and their job is done. Text Recognition is feature for shooting documents, books and magazines and then extract text from images using he “Digimax Reader” software. Users can’t change settings for scene modes, beyond program mode. In program mode users can set the focus frame, color and fun frame. Some users wants to change scene mode settings, but this camera don’t have this feature.

The PictBridge feature allowing you to print the images without the PC, just connect the camera with compatible printer. The Digimax L55W has build-in 32MB memory, so you can take pictures without the memory card. The camera provides more features like: My Set Shot for snapshot, voice recording, voice memo for adding voice messages to a pictures etc.

The Digmax L55W software is easy to use and menu setting can be done quickly using the Move and Set functions.

Pros / Cons

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Pros

• Li-ion battery makes this camera ultra thin
• Wide screen
• Special effects
• Metal body
• Easy to use, made for beginners
• Fast start time
• Fast charge battery

Cons

• Charging input is below the camera
• Can’t change scene mode settings

Sample image

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Click to see full version *Caution large file – exif data included

There where no experimenting with design, when you first spot new DSC-T9 its clear its Sony T class camera. It have, for T series common slider across front side, which is protecting the lens, and flash from scratches when camera is not in use. Slider is active so when you want to take a picture all you have to do is to slide it down and camera is ready to take a picture. Because of the lens who dosent go out of the camera body, starting time is pretty short. No more missing important moments because you have to wait for camera to start-up. On the back side there is a large 2.5 ” diagonal screen which remarkably clear and can be seen in all light conditions. Also on the back side of the camera you can find lots of buttons, and above the display mode slider. Camera body is thin just 0.8″ and made from stainless metal, leave impression of quality and hard to break gadget.
Image sensor used in T9 have 6.0 effective Mpix, maximum picture resolution is 2816 x 2112. There are wide selection of ISO settings from ISO80 up to high ISO640 settings. Built-in Carl Zeiss 3x zoom lens is much better then one used in T7 so there is no more problems with vignetting (dark corners), but on some photos there corners can be little blurry. Lens itself is quite special, because its folded into camera body, so even when zooming there are no parts sticking out of the camera. Other special thing about this lens is optical image stabilization, Super SteadyShot. In basics there are movement sensors in camera whos detecting movement-shaking of hands, and lens elements are moved to compensate shaking.
Built-in flash is better then one which is used on T7. T7 had a nickname vampire-camera because of poor implementation Red-Eye reduction mechanism. On T9 Red-Eye reduction is working much better, but still because placement of a flash – too close to the lens, people eyes your photos will often be red. Live histogram display are available in capture and playback mode. Just few cameras even in much professional classes doesn’t have this feature. Just as reminder Live histogram display makes it easier to make much evenly exposed pictures and helps while analyzing your already taken pictures. Computer connection is produced via docking station port on the bottom side of the camera. It provides USB 2.0 high speed connection for transferring images, connection for the TV-set, direct printing on a PictBridge compatible printer and connection for optional Cyber-shot Station camera dock.
Sony have a new policy no to send memory cards with the cameras, instead in all new Sony’s cameras there is a built in internal memory. T9 have 58MB of internal memory which is probably much more that you would get on the included memory card, its capable of storing up to 20 images in full resolution and best quality. Internal memory is great, but just for start, if your planing to take a lot of pictures and to record movies in high quality, external add-on card is a must. As all other new Sony’s in this class this camera is compatible with Sony Memory Stick Duo cards and Memory Stick Duo PRO cards. T9 records movies in 640×480 with audio with 30 frame per second and the length is limited only by media. Example 512 MB memory card can store up to 160 full resolution photos at the highest quality.DSC-T9 comes with its own NP-FT1 lithium ion battery, also external charger is bundled. With fully charged battery T9 is capable to make about 230 shots. Recharging empty battery will take about 160 minutes.
Photo quality on the T9 was very good, with my only real complaint (aside from those white balance issues) being the slightly soft look to the pictures. Photos had accurate exposure and color, and low purple fringing and noise levels. Red-eye was a problem, unfortunately. The T9 also surprised me with its high ISO performance, allowing for small prints to be made at the ISO 640 setting.

Sample pictures

Click to see full version *Caution large file – exif data included

Click to see full version *Caution large file – exif data included

Conclusion

Again it’s not a perfect camera, but we can not ignore all the improvements compared to previous T models. This is a grate camera, if you can accept some of the minor lacks, you will be awarded by great durable ultra compact camera.
Pros:

• Ultra-thin full metal solid and durable body
• Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization
• Good images quality
• Live Histogram
• High ISO settings – for low light conditions
• Fast and responsive
• Large, clear LCD display visible in all light conditions
• Large 58 MB built-in memory
• Good movie mode, limited only by memory-card size
• High Speed USB 2.0 PC connection

Cons:

• Still poor red-eye reduction – demands additional editing on PC
• No full manual controls

New Sony DSC-N1 compact digital camera, 8.3 MPix, 3″ diagonal touch sensitive screen, high-sensitivity ISO800 settings

Sony have new competitor for Mpix race, new Sony DSC-N1 digital camera bringing 8.3 Mpix in compact class. Other uniqe feature that make this camera unique is huge 3″ diagonal LCD touch sensitive display. Other things that can make you interested in buying this camera, is high ISO800 settings, excellent 3X Vario-Tessar Carl Zeiss optical zoom with a focal length equivalent to 38 to 114 mm on a 35 mm camera.
When you take N1 in your hand, you can notice solid built, feling is like its made from one part of metal. Front plate is from metal circular brushed from lens barrel. On the back side you find just few command buttons, only 4 of total 6 on the camera, and huge 3″ diagonal display. There is just one button for zoom control, mode selection slider, screen key and display button with quite cool effect of back-light icons when camera is on. Also other two buttons on this camera are on the top side power-on button, and shutter of course.
DSC-N1 uses 8.3 Mpix 1/1.8″ CCD image sensor which effective uses 8.06 Mpix. What means that maximum image size is 3264 x 2448 pixels. Sensor have wide ISO sensitivity range from 64ISO up to 800ISO which is not common feature of this class cameras. For good pictures sensor is not enough so Sony uses wery good 3X Vario-Tessar Carl Zeiss zoom lens with focal length equivalent from 38mm to 114mm on 35mm film. On the wide angle end available apertures are f2.8, f4, and f8, and with the zoom at telephoto position, those apertures are f5.4, f8, f16. Shutter speed range is from 1/1000 second up to 30 seconds – which is not so often seen in compact camera class. A part from 3x optical zoom Sony offers “Precision zoom” which is common interpolation digital zoom – low quality and useless as every other digital zoom and a “Smart Zoom” as Sony calls it, it doesn’t interpolate-distort image but crop image so result is smaller image in 5Mpix and less.
Pictures can be taken in these resolutions and ratios:

• 8Mpix: 3264 x 2448 pixels Maximum resolution of the imaging sensor
• 3:2: 3264 x 2176 pixels
• 5Mpix 2592 x 1944 pixels
• 3Mpix: 2048 x 1536 pixels
• 1Mpix: 1280 x 960 pixels
• VGA: 640 x 480 pixels
• 16:9 (HDTV): 1920 x 1080 pixels

all in JPG format, with just two available compression levels “Standard” and “Fine”.
Numerous modes are available for shooting pictures form “Auto” when your task is just to find a perfect frame and push the shutter button and camera will do the rest. To the eight Scene Modes : Twilight, Landscape, Twilight, Portrait, Beach, Candle, Snow, Soft Snap, Fireworks. Also the “Program” mode is available where aperture and shutter speed are handled by camera and all other settings are available for you. And full “Manual” mode allows you to take full control of your camera.

And Movies can be recorded in these formats:

• 640 Fine – 640 x 480 pixels with 30 fps with low compression. *Note that this settings is only available when Memory Stick Pro Duo is used
• 640 Standard – 640 x 480 pixels with 25 fps with high compression
• 160 – 160 x 112 pixels with 25 fps

Zoom is not available in while recording a movie, it will be locked in position where it was before movie recording stated, but exposure and white balance are dynamically adjusted, during movie recording, which provides higher quality movie.

OK, now i want to preview my pictures and movies.

There is many options in preview mode, Album which stores a small copy of the images in the camera memory, so they are available even if you takeout the memory card with originals. Slide Show is very nice and unusual option its is possible to create slide show whit various transitions and background music.Paint mode allows painting, free-hand writing on the photos – using supplied stylus or your fingers, adding symbols, stars, flakes… draw lines in different colors and thickness… quite nice. Sony’s N1 camera is Pict-Bridge compatible so you can directly print images on compatible printers, NO computer needed. Also there are few more editing modes like Re-size, Rotate, Trimming – cropping, cropped part can be saved as new image. Camera even provides Movie editing, in basics but its quite useful feature to cut unimportant part of the movie and free part of memory card memory.
Sony DSC-N1 uses Sony’s Memory Stick Duo memory cards, also Sony does not supply Memory card in the box with DSC-N1, but camera have 26MB of internal memory. Internal memory will allows only 6 pictures in full 8Mpix resolution and JPG Fine quality while in JPG Standard quality you can store up to 12 images in internal memory. Throe its docking connector placed on the bottom side of the camera and supplied cable, its possible to connect camera to a TV set, computer via fast USB 2.0 standard or Pict-Bridge printer.
DSC-N1 is supplied with small Lithium Ion rechargeable battery (NP-BG1), external charger is supplied with camera and approximately charging time is about 4-5 hours.

Camera is quite light (under 140g with memory card and battery) and small, here you can see it compared to my Nokia phone.

ISO comparsion

Sample photos

Click to see full version *Caution large file – original image from camera 3.7MB

Click to see full version *Caution large file – original image from camera 3.5MB

Conclusion:

We can freely say that DSC-N1 is a maker of a new class cameras, compact touch screen cameras, main reasons why you want to buy this camera is first of all great image quality. Low amout of color noise on 64ISO and 100ISO settings, usefull 400ISO settings. Large clear 3″ display, intuitive touch screan navigation. Camera is quite fast and responsive to all commands. It capatibility for long exposures stands out in this class. Some thing can be better like antireflex coating on the display and flash can be just a bit more powerfull.

Design and commands

The DCR-DVD105e fits perfectly in hand and it is very light, so when I was shooting videos i haven’t feel to hold camcorder. Zoom and Start-Stop buttons are on the right place, nearby LCD screen. W and T buttons using for zooming, but one speed only. The red button is Start-Stop button, and it is very helpfully when LCD screen is round at up and you shooting something lowlily, like small animals. Then main start button is not appropriately. Sony DVD105e is made of quality plastic, and aluminum.

The 2.5 inch LCD screen is visible on the sun, and from the angles. There is lot of setting for LCD screen like back light, color intensity etc. When I open the LCD screen there is no more bunch of buttons, because LCD has touch screen, and all functions and settings are accessibly from LCD screen.

Lens Type is Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar, so there is no place for doubt at quality. Focal Length is
2.3 to 46 mm and aperture is F1.8 to 3.1. Optical zoom is 20x, and digital zoom is 800x. My suggestion is to turn of the digital zoom because camera can’t zoom 800x, that is only marketing, and you don’t have much benefit with digital zoom. Sony DVD105e supports 4:3 and 16:9 cinema format.

Sony DCR-DVD105e has Super NightShot Plus feature. It has infrared sensor, and you can record in absolutely dark, in few meters.

Form the left side there is DVD-RW storage, and A/V output. When recording videos DVD don’t make any noise. There is no A/V input so you can’t digitalized old video tapes. To turn On/Off you must press green button in middle off on/off switch. You can’t accidentally turn off the camcorder in middle off recording video. Same on/off switch is mode switcher, video or photo mode. Led light show you witch mode is active at this moment.
From top side there is photo capture button, and zoom crowbar, both on the right place.

From the right side, when open LCD screen you can see two buttons: Easy and Display battery info. Easy recording is good news for beginners. When pres this button auto mode is active, and lot of function in menu is not accessibly. There is also back light button, for LCD back light and Play/Edit button to see your videos and images.

Sony DCR-DVD105e has Li-ion battery pack. We tested model with NP-FP50 battery. Charged time was 2 hours, and with open LCD we have 115 minutes continuous recording time with closed LCD screen, and 100 minutes with closed LDC screen. When I finished battery charging, LCD show me 89 minutes recording left. It was first charge for this battery, and battery must charge few times for full power. You can buy larger battery pack like NP-FP90. Camera has DC-in, witch is used for charging battery, so there is no need for special battery charger.

Focus is very accurate and has fast reaction on distance change. Zoom control is very smooth. White balance is solved very nice, there is indoor and outdoor defined assets. Fader function has few variants like black, white, overlap and wipe. There is only two digital effects: lumi. key and old move. This camera can’t be used as web cam.

Digital images

Sony DCR-DVD105e can capture 1 Mpx photos. Photo quality is very low, and this camcorder can’t replace photo camera. Camcorder and photo camera can’t be one device.

I liked

• Touch screen
• Camera has DC-in, witch is used for charging battery, so there is no need for special battery charger.
• Burn videos and images right on the DVD
• Video quality
• Low price

I don’t like

• No USB, and device can’t be used as WebCam
• 800x Digital zoom is fake, only marketing trick
• Only two digital effects

Sony DCR-DVD105e price is from 349$ to 600$.